Cardinal James Michael Harvey,
Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul
Outside the Walls, was born in Milwaukee (USA), in
the State of Wisconsin, on October 20th 1949.

He received his licence in Sacred
Theology and a doctorate in Canon Law at the
Pontifical Gregorian University.

Ordained to the priesthood by Pope
Paul VI in Rome on June 29th during the Holy Year of
1975, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy
See on March 25th 1980. For the first two years he
worked at the nunciature in the Dominican Republic.
In his capacity as advisor to the nunciature, he
then began to work as a member of the diplomatic
staff in the Secretary of State on July 10th 1982.
As a Prelate of Honour to His Holiness, on November
9th 1994, he was named Assessor for General Affairs
of the Secretary of State on July 22nd 1997.

On February 7th 1998 Pope John
Paul II entrusted him with the task of Prefect of
the Pontifical Household. That same Holy Father
ordained him bishop in St Peter’s Basilica on March
19th 1998, assigning to him the titular see of
Memphis (Egypt), and then on September 29th 2003,
promoted him to the status of archbishop.

On November 23rd 2012 he was named
Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul
Outside the Walls by Pope Benedict XVI.

By the same Pope Benedict XVI he
was created Cardinal in the Consistory of November
24th, with the deaconry of Saint Pius V in Villa
Carpegna.

He is a member of the
Congregations for the Evangelisation of Peoples and
for the Causes of Saints, as well as of the
Administration for the Patrimony of the Apostolic
See.